Overview
- Amsterdam’s Vondelkerk suffered severe damage in an overnight blaze, with dozens of nearby homes evacuated and officials warning the church’s characteristic appearance is likely lost.
- Hillegom saw a large warehouse fire that produced heavy smoke and triggered an NL‑Alert; authorities later confirmed the blaze was in a mattress storage shed rather than a fireworks shop, and nearby residents were evacuated.
- Police reported two confirmed fireworks fatalities: a minor in Nijmegen and a 38‑year‑old man in Aalsmeer, while a child died after being struck by a vehicle in Bergen op Zoom with the circumstances still under investigation.
- Emergency services were stretched by widespread car and building fires, assaults on responders, ME deployments in several cities, and NL‑Alerts asking the public to reserve 112 for life‑threatening emergencies.
- With many municipalities enforcing local bans or no‑fireworks zones this year, a national consumer‑fireworks prohibition is considered likely next year following the Eerste Kamer’s approval over the summer.